The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, having a pivotably mounted pawl for locking to a mating element, and at least one securing element which secures a locked state by interaction with a functional surface of the pawl.
In the case of a known locking mechanism of the type described immediately above, which is referred to as a rotary latch lock, the securing element is designed as a locking bar which, in the locked state, bears against the first functional surface of the pawl in the self-locking region, whereas a spring keeps the pawl open in the opened state.